It is often desirable to store files in a compressed file format to conserve memory. This is particularly beneficial on handheld devices that have limited memory. Data files stored together are often stored in a block-based file system. In a block-based system, small files take up a disproportionate amount of space because nearly a full block may be wasted for each stored file. It is also desirable to store a group of related files together with a way to access the files in a way so they appear as a block of files on a disk or in a directory.